Baby swaddling is something that helps infants feel safe and secure. Swaddling can also help a baby to stay asleep because it prevents a baby from startling and awakening oneself with his or her flailing arms. When sleeping in a car seat or stroller, sudden bumps or stops can cause a baby's arms to flail, which inevitably leads to an unhappy baby that is awake and crying.
There are many companies designing and distributing baby swaddles to meet the needs of a sleeping babe. Many that cover the feet, some that wrap only around the waist, but very few that are designed specifically for a car seat. Of the ones that are designed for a car seat, they seem to all cover the body and feet of the baby. This is a drawback because it prevents a parent from being able to remove the swaddle without unbuckling the baby. If taking a long road trip, a parent may want to slide the swaddle out of the carseat once the baby is done napping.
Another drawback of a full body car seat swaddle is that it can cause a baby to overheat. It is much easier for a parent to add or remove a blanket rather than have to pull over the car and unbuckle the infant to remove the swaddle. And by removing a swaddle from an infant that feels hot, a parent would inevitably wake the child. The ability to add or remove a blanket makes the swaddle more versatile for indoors, outdoors, summer and winter and also prevents waking the child.
Lastly, the full body car seat swaddle can be uncomfortable for the baby because it does not allow a full range of motion for the baby's legs. When a baby is strapped in a car seat, the buckle is resting between the two legs. Therefore, the baby needs to be able to keep the legs comfortably relaxed rather than pushed together.
After reviewing prior art, it is evident that a need exists in the field for an infant travel swaddle that wraps solely around a baby's torso and arms. With our design, the need for a swaddle that can be removed without unstrapping a baby from a car seat, as well as one that is versatile for differing temperatures, will be alleviated. Lastly, there is a need for a swaddle that is specifically designed for a car seat, with the back fitting perfectly in between the car seat base and straps, and for the design to not allow the swaddle to bunch or slide down. Our design meets that need.